Cheng Cheung Hung, a sprinter from Hong Kong, China, says Asia's fastest man Su Bingtian is his hero, who encouraged him to work hard to step on the world stage one day.
"Su Bingtian created a new Asian record. His super performance definitely earned him the title of 'Su-per,' I had the pleasure of shaking his hand, which was a great inspiration," said Cheng after his competition in China's first Student (Youth) Games on Monday.
Su was the first Chinese to run 100 meters in under 10 seconds in 2015, followed by Xie Zhenye in 2018. With a personal best of 9.83 seconds in the 100 meters event, he is the fifth fastest man all-time in the category at the Olympics.
Four weeks ago, Su delivered a lecture in Hong Kong when Cheng not only shook hands with his idol, but also was inspired by Su's speech.
"It was truly an enlightening experience for me," recalled Cheng. "Su encouraged us to try and challenge ourselves, to break the limit. Combining talent and hard work, we can step on the world stage."
In the men's 4x100 meters relay final of the Open category, the Hong Kong team finished fifth in 40.45 seconds on Monday afternoon. The 19-year-old captain admitted they had room to improve.
"Maybe compared to other teams, our advantage is not so obvious, so we chose some special strategies. However, the process of competition is a lesson for us. We can learn from others," said Cheng.
Majored in Physical Therapy, Cheng has well balanced his academic studies and training at Hong Kong Metropolitan University.
"The main thing is to do a good job of time allocation for studying and training," he said.
"In the classroom and on the sports field, it's all about learning. We can see the performance of different regional teams through participating in competitions, which is also a learning process."
Through studying physical therapy at university, Cheng gained a deeper understanding of human body structure and conducted scientific analysis of sprinting. He said he can be aware of the change in his physical state now and immediately adjust his training volume based on his knowledge and research.
"It would be a great honor to be involved in sports [after graduating from university], to pass on the experience I have learned now to the next generation, and I hope to help the development of sports in Hong Kong," Cheng said.
The Philadelphia Orchestra, a renowned US art group which embarked on a historic art icebreaking trip 1973, is scheduled to perform on Friday night in Beijing with China National Symphony Orchestra as an opening episode for a tour which will also make stops in Tianjin, Shanghai and Suzhou.
As the first American art group to perform in the People's Republic of China half a century ago, the orchestra has returned to China for their 12th visit after unexpected hiatus due to the pandemic.
"The pandemic is not the fault of either government, but has separated us," US ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said on Thursday addressing a reception commemorating the half century of friendship marked by music.
Both China and the US agree that we are in need of greater connections between the peoples, as the ballast of any relationship between two great countries is the people, Burns said.
The reception is hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC). Yang Wanming, president of the CPAFFC, sensed American friends' concerns about the recent China-US relations through communication with them.
"Yet I have also felt the strong desire of various sectors in the US, especially from the people and local communities, to improve the current situation and the earnest hope for stable and healthy development of the bilateral relationship," Yang said in his speech on Thursday.
Despite many complications in the US-China relationship, the people of China and the US have a lot in common and need to come together, Burns told the Global Times.
"We need more of this [music exchanges], and we need sports diplomacy," the ambassador said, citing his latest experience of watching Shanghai Sharks, with American players, in basketball game with Beijing Ducks on Sunday.
Burns expressed his hope that more tourists, students and businesspeople could go back and forth between China and the US, as people are an integral part of any diplomatic relationship.
Matías Tarnopolsky, the orchestra's president and CEO, said that music has the power to connect and to build bridges.
"It has been our privilege to contribute in a meaningful way to US-China understanding and connection for the past half-century. We hope that our music-making will continue to build bridges between our people and cultures for another 50 years," Tarnopolsky said.
Violinist Davyd Booth, 74, was on the historic tour in 1973 and every China visit since then. He shared with the Global Times in an earlier interview his vivid memories of the first tour and the development he has witnessed over the past 50 years.
"The friendship between the two countries bridges all sorts of gaps as music brings everyone together. Now we have many Chinese members in the Philadelphia Orchestra. China is really a part of us," said Booth. Musicians from the Philadelphia Orchestra performed excerpts from "Flax and Charlock" Fantasie Quartet, an excerpt from "Lan Hua Hua," adapted from traditional Chinese folk music that originated in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
They also cooperated with children from Beijing Philharmonic Choir to perform the traditional Chinese song "Jasmine Flower."
It is hoped that the children, and more people of younger generations, will inherit the cause of China-US exchanges and carry on the mission of friendship for the next half century and beyond, a reception attendee told the Global Times.
Dubai remains the top global destination for attracting Greenfield Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects, with the emirate attracting 511 Greenfield projects in H1 2023, as per Financial Times 'fDi Markets' data - the comprehensive online database on cross-border greenfield investments.
Dubai continues to set new benchmarks in global performance as an investment destination, surpassing second-placed Singapore by 325 projects.
During the first half of 2023, Dubai's global share in the attraction of Greenfield FDI projects stood at 6.58 percent - up from 3.83 percent over the same six-month period last year.
The results, which underscore the emirate's status as a key investment hub, align directly with the city's 10-year Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double the size of the emirate's economy over the next decade.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, said: "Dubai's ability to maintain its top ranking in attracting Greenfield FDI projects reflects the city's ability to create unparalleled growth opportunities and value for global investors. Guided by the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the emirate has intensified its drive to accelerate economic diversification and innovation. This commitment, coupled with the adoption of advanced technologies, is shaping a future filled with endless opportunities for progress and prosperity. With the clear growth roadmap set out by the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, we continue to work to create an investment environment that not only wins the trust of investors from all over the world but also encourages them to contribute to Dubai's transformation."
In parallel, new data released by Dubai FDI Monitor at Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), shows the city logged a total of 880 announced FDI projects between January and June of this year, a year-on-year growth of 70 percent. The Dubai FDI Monitor tracks, substantiates and analyses all types of FDI projects announced within the emirate.
Dubai FDI Monitor data also indicates that Dubai's Greenfield FDI projects account for 65 percent of total announced FDI projects. The report also states year-on-year Reinvestment FDIs increased from 3 percent to 4.4 percent when comparing H1 2023 with the same period in 2022.
Meanwhile, Dubai also saw a year-on-year rise in global Greenfield FDI capital attraction, reaching AED20.87 billion (USD5.68 billion). According to Financial Times Ltd. "fDi Markets" data, Dubai climbed from eighth in H1 2022 to sixth globally in H1 2023,
Additionally, Dubai ranks first globally in the attraction of HQ FDI projects, according to Financial Times Ltd. "fDi Markets" data, by attracting 33 HQ projects in the first half of this year, ahead of London and Singapore. The achievement further highlights the emirate's rising profile as a global hub for the headquarters of leading companies.
Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, commented: "We are continuing to accelerate efforts to deliver the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
"As we work to enhance the city's competitiveness and business environment internationally, these strong increases in announced FDI projects for H1 2023 drive home how our progressive policy enablers and diverse attraction programmes are resonating with global investors and decision makers alike."
The Financial Times Ltd. "fDi Markets" data also shows Dubai rose from ninth in H1 2022 to fourth place globally in H1 2023 in employment creation from FDI projects. The climb follows a 43.3 percent surge in job creation in H1 2023 compared to H1 2022, equating to a total of 24,236 jobs created through FDI.
In line with DET's economic diversification initiatives, Dubai's efforts to retain and attract highly skilled talent were illustrated in the top six sectors contributing to estimated job creation by FDI in H1 2023: Business Services at 5,212 jobs (21.5% share), Software and IT at 3,525 jobs (14.5 percent), Food & Beverages at 3,090 jobs (12.7percent), Financial Services at 1,813 jobs (7.5 percent), Consumer Products at 2,104 jobs (8.3 percent) and Real Estate at 921 jobs (3.8percent).
Dubai FDI Monitor states the emirate continued to attract medium-to-high-technology and low-technology FDI projects in H1 2023, with rates of 63 percent and 37percent, respectively, unchanged from last year. The data illustrates the prevalence of medium-high technology FDI ventures in Dubai, underscoring the city's status as a global hub for cutting-edge FDI projects and a nexus for specialised talent in the digital economy.
In terms of key sectors bringing FDI capital into Dubai, Financial Services (52percent), Business Services (12.8 percent), Software & IT Services (7.5 percent), Real Estate (6.9 percent) and F&B (3 percent) lead the way. The Dubai FDI Monitor showed the top five sectors accounted for 82 percent of total FDI capital inflow and 70 percent of total FDI projects. Leading sectors by FDI projects include Business Services (22.4 percent), Software & IT (17.8 percent), F&B (12.2 percent), Financial Services (9 percent) and Consumer Products (8.3 percent).
The first leg of the 8th EU-China Literary Festival took place at the Xi Yue Tang Library, Cultural, and Creative Park in Beijing, on Tuesday, to further deepen contemporary literary dialogue between China and Europe.
With the theme "Voices of the Present: Contemporary Literature," and an emphasis on the diversity of the contemporary literary landscape, the festival aims to depict the perspectives and cultural nuances of contemporary European writers.
Renowned Greek author Amanda Michalopoulou, participated in the 8th EU-China Literature Festival along with well-known Chinese writer Sheng Keyi. Together they engaged in a literary dialogue, on issues related to "Identity and Belonging" in contemporary European literature. Diplomats from the Greek Embassy attended the event.
Michalopoulou also discussed "Gender and Sexuality" with the Chinese writer and literary critic Wang Hongtu on Thursday at Shanghai's Fandeng Bookstore - C·PARK.
Aside from the writer dialogue, people have the opportunity to enjoy reading Greek books and participate in the "European literature reading corners" in six well-known bookstores throughout the country in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Guangzhou, in a series of events that promoted cultural and literary exchanges between China, Greece, and Europe.
The reading corners activity runs until November 30.
In his report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, proposed to comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization - the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all, of material and cultural-ethical advancement, of harmony between humanity and nature, and of peaceful development.
Advancing Chinese modernization is a systematic endeavor and also an exploratory undertaking. It is through this framework that we wish to illustrate the process of the Chinese path to modernization through a series of landmark projects, touching stories, and visionary plans.
Recently, Global Times reporters visited different key locations across China and detailed their observations in five stories to showcase the diverse aspects of Chinese modernization.
In the first installment, Global Times reporters traveled to Zhangjiakou city in North China's Hebei Province, one of the cities that hosted the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, and met with the designer of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway line, gaining an insight into the country's modernization of a massive population through the kaleidoscope of the Chinese railway industry's rapid development. Over a century ago, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou railway line, constructed under the leadership of the "Father of Chinese Railways," Zhan Tianyou, became China's first independently designed and built railway line.
However, he probably had never imagined that a century later, advanced Fuxing bullet trains at a speed of 350 kilometers per hour would be running between Zhangjiakou and China's capital city of Beijing, on this line - one of the smartest railway liens in the country, which became one of the highlights of the Beijing Winter Olympics, drawing global attention.
Behind the huge contrast is the development of the innovation of China's railway lines, stands the Chinese path to modernization, which is the modernization of a huge population.
In a country with a large population and a vast territory, many regions face transportation challenges, especially those that are impoverished. However, China has embarked on a unique path of innovation in this field, emerging as a world leader in the high-speed railway industry.
The railway network spans across China, and even across the world, providing people with a fast, convenient, and safe mode of transportation, propelling them toward Chinese modernization.
A tale of two cities
Wang Jiujun stands on a tower at the Great Wall in Zhangjiakou, facing Beijing, but his line of vision is obscured by mountains far away.
More than 110 years ago, these mountains stood as a transport network barrier, making the plan to construct a railway line connecting Beijing and Zhangjiakou an impossible mission. Some people pessimistically opined that "the person who could build such a railway line in China had not yet been born."
The success of the railway line, which was completed in 1909, shattered the misconception that "Chinese people were incapable of building their own railways."
Exactly 110 years later, Wang, the deputy director of the Transportation Safety Department of the China National Railway Group Beijing-Zhangjiakou Intercity Railway Co Ltd, would often think about Zhan's story while resolving new challenges he met in the process of building the new Beijing-Zhangjiakou railway line, with high-speed trains capable of traveling at a speed of 350 kilometers per hour. The first challenge that Wang and his team had to overcome was how to make the high-speed railway line pass through the core area of the megacity of Beijing using underground tunnels.
A 6,022-meter long tunnel had to traverse an extremely complex underground system of the city. The tunnel intersected with three Beijing subway lines, ran parallel to another line, and crossed underneath numerous major urban roads and underground utility networks.
"If we were to compare Beijing to a human body, we would be performing a bridge surgery in a densely vascularized area," Wang explained.
To conquer such challenges, Wang and his team were brave enough to dare to push the boundaries of railway construction, overcoming some world-level difficulties by tunneling through densely populated areas in Beijing and integrating the new railway line into China's modern high-speed rail network.
With the efforts of over 500 construction workers and within a period of more than 1,000 days, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway line was finally completed and inaugurated in its entirety in 2019.
Based on the BeiDou satellite system and the GIS (Geographic Information System), this high-speed railway line achieved intelligence in construction, operation, scheduling, maintenance, and emergency response.
Various passenger-friendly technological designs made the line a popular attraction for athletes and media professionals alike during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
Even after the Olympics, the high-speed railway line continues to provide "Olympic-standard" service to every passenger. With the help of high-speed rail, the winter sports industry in the region has also gained new opportunities.
"Previously, it took over two hours to travel between Beijing and Zhangjiakou, but now the journey has been reduced to one hour, or even 50 minutes. Many people come to Zhangjiakou, to Chongli county, to experience skiing and feel the atmosphere and enthusiasm of the Winter Olympics," Wang said.
Today, plans to further expand the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway line are underway, traversing the mountains and across the grasslands, to finally be connected to Xilinhot city, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. "This way, we can contribute our efforts to the local development and rural revitalization of eastern Inner Mongolia," Wang said.
Deep in the mountains, Wang and his team continue this arduous work, finding ways to surmount arising challenges and difficulties.
"Resolving these difficulties is like eating nuts, right? Each time you crack one open, there is a tasty reward inside. There are always intermediate achievements," Wang concluded.
A witness of progress
With a population of over 1.4 billion people, China has experience in massive population mobility. In Wang Jiujun's memory, the journey back to home before the Spring Festival used to be a difficult one.
"During the Spring Festival travel rush, people would cram into trains through the doors and squeeze themselves through the windows. It was a real struggle to get on the train, and once on board, it was so crowded that you couldn't even touch the floor. No to mention that the green trains were so slow," he said as he reminisced on the bitter-sweet memories.
Developing high-speed railways has become one of the effective solutions to alleviate the difficulties of the Spring Festival Travel rush, what is considered to be the world's largest annual human migration.
By the end of 2022, China boasted of a railway network spanning 155,000 kilometers, with over 42,000 kilometers dedicated to high-speed rail. This vast network is also being rapidly expanded.
The railway networks are taking people home, as well as taking them to their dreams.
Over recent decades, the "green train" which runs through the Daliang Mountains in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, became an important part of the production activities and lives of the local people, heralding the transformation of the Yi people's way of life.
In December 2022, the new 915-kilometer-long Chengdu-Kunming railway line went into operation, bringing high-speed trains to the hinterland of the Daliang Mountains.
But the traditional "green trains" still serve as important capillaries, ferrying passengers to every corner of the country. In the vast forests of the Greater Hinggan Mountains in northern China, the slow-moving trains not only continue to transport residents of the forest farms to various destinations they need to reach for their livelihoods, but have also become favored tourist route, allowing urban dwellers accustomed to a fast-paced life to slow down.
Chinese high-speed rail has provided the Chinese people with an excellent travel experience and a sense of happiness. The diversification and optimization of online and offline ticket purchase channels have addressed the issue of ticket scarcity. High-quality services and facilities have resolved the issue of travel fatigue.
During the 2023 Spring Festival travel rush, the national railway network in China transported a total of 348 million passengers, with an average of 8.7 million passengers per day. There were 11 days during which the daily passenger volume exceeded 10 million, according to the China News Agency.
A calling card of openness
With the rapid development of China's railway network and the deepening of high-quality construction under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the country's opening-up efforts have expanded continuously. International cooperation has achieved significant results, with more Chinese railway lines taking root in Asia, Europe, Africa, and other regions, yielding fruitful outcomes.
"China has always been an open country. Chinese people desire to make friends, help others, and use our wisdom to assist in global development," Wang said. "That is why we have the BRI and have established railway cooperation with multiple countries regionally and globally."
The China-Laos Railway, for example, has officially opened, and created a transportation artery linking China' southwestern region with Southeast Asia. The opening of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway line will further promote Chinese high-speed rail globally. This will allow more people to see, experience, and share the benefits of Chinese high-speed rail technology.
Moreover, the China-Europe freight trains, shuttling day and night, have rapidly transformed into a vibrant "golden gateway" and an important platform for China's participation in global openness, cooperation, and the construction of the BRI.
The building and upgrading of the railway linking Budapest in Hungary to Belgrade in Serbia, a major project under the BRI, also symbolizes the deep cooperation between China and Europe. The project, aiming to help the two countries build logistics hubs and enhance the construction of infrastructure to boost economic development, will significantly shorten travel time for passengers and cargo from the two cities when completed.
As China vigorously promotes its Chinese path to modernization, the Chinese railway network, as exemplified by high-speed rail, is also embracing open and mutually beneficial development, contributing even more to the building of a community of shared future for mankind.
"By cooperating with other countries and regions, Chinese high-speed rail development can allow more people greater access in travel and rich experiences," Wang said.
The Biden administration's approval of the transferring of cluster munitions to Ukraine has sparked widespread criticism and worry. While the bombs, along with the numerous deadly weapons the US and its Western allies have provided to Ukraine, put civilians and children there in grave danger, their manufacturers are probably busy counting money they've made from the Russia-Ukraine crisis while hoping that the conflict doesn't end any time soon.
War is "good for business," a recruiter for BlackRock told the O'Keefe Media Group in June, acknowledging how such turmoil can create opportunities for profit. BlackRock is one of the world's largest asset management company and holds shares in several defense industry enterprises.
The recruiter's words exposed the fact that Ukraine has unfortunately become a gold mine for the US military-industrial complex (MIC). Having seldom bought weapons abroad before the crisis, Ukraine became the world's third biggest arms importer in 2022, ranking fifth among the US' main arms export destinations, according to data from Statista.
It's hard to know exactly know how much money have flowed from the Ukraine frontline into the pockets of US weapon manufacturers. But the Global Times found that most of the MIC giants in the US have enjoyed an income surge or (and) market value increase amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The US is the biggest beneficiary of the conflict. By utilizing proxy war between Russia and Ukraine, the US continues to consolidate its geopolitical interests in Ukraine, and its military industrial enterprises make huge profits by selling weapons, said Yuan Zheng, a research fellow and deputy director of the Institute of American Studies at Chinese the Academy of Social Sciences.
"The US doesn't seem to mind the weapons bringing great loss and safety hazards to Ukraine and the rest of the world," Yuan told the Global Times.
A fruitful year
The US used to have dozens of defense contractors before the post-Cold War merger boom. Nowadays, there are only five MIC giants that jointly dominate the US' huge arms industry - Boeing, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon.
The "Big Five" alone routinely split more than $150 billion in Pentagon contracts annually, or nearly 20 percent of the total Pentagon budget, said an article published by The Nation in May.
Ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis has brought the "Big Five" even more contracts. Lockheed Martin, for instance, won a $4.8 billion deal from the US Army for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, which "the US has sent in large numbers to Ukraine," reported Defense News in April.
Previously, the US Army had awarded Raytheon Missiles and Defense a contract worth "as much as $1.2 billion" to "deliver six National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System batteries for Ukraine," Defense News said in December 2022. In the same month, website Defense One quoted Greg Hayes, CEO of RTX (Raytheon), as saying that the company expected some $2.5 billion in replenishment weapons deals "over the next 12 months."
The disastrous year of 2022 was a fruitful one for the US MIC. Except for Boeing's market value shrinking because of its alleged "supply chain problems," the other four companies in the "Big Five" all increased by more than $10 billion in annual market value - Northrop Grumman added $16.4 billion, Lockheed Martin $16 billion, Raytheon Technologies $14.8 billion, and General Dynamics $10.8 billion, the Global Times found.
Except Boeing, the four aforementioned giants enjoyed good stock market performance in 2022. The share prices of Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon Technologies respectively grew by 37 percent, 26 percent, 24 percent, and 17 percent in that year.
The future looks promising as well for the US MIC, as the US House and Senate recently approved the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which earmarked a record $886 billion in spending. Some media sources predicted that almost half of the money will go to the arms manufacturers, so that the US government can "sustain its military advantage over China" and pay constant attention to the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
The Russia-Ukraine crisis is "a huge profit center for the big companies: Lockheed Martin and Raytheon and Boeing," says William Hartung, a senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft (Quincy Institute), where he focuses on the global arms trade and Pentagon spending. "At the moment, I think they're riding the wave," he told nonprofit news organization Analyst News in May.
Lobbying for profits
The US MIC continues to profiteer from the Russia-Ukraine conflict as it heads into its second year. The country's weapons and defense contractors reportedly received nearly half - $400 billion - of the $858 billion earmarked in the 2023 defense budget.
It's not a secret that to put more money into its pockets, US arms industry has maintained deep connections with the country's government officials and opinion leaders through several ways, such as funding lobbyists and think tanks and hiring former government officials through the "revolving door" of the government lobby industry.
Through various lobbying measures, the US weapons industry has acquired more "tools of influence" over the government, the Analyst News quoted Hartung as saying.
An interesting phenomenon that's emerged during the conflict is that some famous lobbying companies are representing Ukraine pro bono, pushing for greater US military support for the Ukrainian military.
Behind their so-called humanitarian care excuses for "aiding" Ukraine are some lobbying firms with obvious financial incentives - they also have arms manufacturers as clients.
In an article published in The Guardian titled They're lobbying for Ukraine pro bono - and making millions from arms firms, the authors mentioned a lobbying and communications firm called BGR Government Affairs (BGR), which started working pro bono for Ukrainian in May 2022. And earlier in February, a BGR adviser was publicly calling for increased military aid to Ukraine in the face of Russia's recognition of the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics as independent states.
A probable main reason behind BGR's enthusiasm is that lobbying for increased military aid to Ukraine benefits its arms manufacturing clients, which will eventually be beneficial to BGR itself. Raytheon, for instance, paid BGR $240,000 to lobby on its behalf in 2022, according to The New York Times.
Driven by private interests, there has been a surge in pro-bono Ukraine lobbying since the conflict erupted. Media sources reported that 25 foreign lobbying and consultant companies have agreed to represent Ukrainian interests pro bono. The number was only 11 before the crisis.
Funding think tanks is another method by which the US MIC amplifies its voice. A report released by the Quincy Institute in June found that of the 27 think tanks in the US whose donors could be identified, 21 received funding from the defense industry, accounting for 77 percent of all funding.
The Quincy Institute report also found that US media outlets "disproportionately rely on" commentary from the defense sector funded think tanks. It said that in articles related to the US military's involvement in Ukraine, media outlets have cited these think tanks seven times as think tanks "that do not accept funding from Pentagon contractors."
The "revolving door" mechanism also has a hand in the flow of high-level employees from the defense departments of the US government to the private arms contractors and vice versa.
The perpetually spinning "revolving door" provides current members of Congress, their staff, and Pentagon personnel with a powerful incentive to play nice with said giant contractors while still in government, said The Nation. "After all, a lucrative lobbying career awaits once they leave government service," it noted.
Nearly 700 former high-ranking government officials in the US now work for defense contractors, including former generals and admirals, revealed a report released by the office of Senator Elizabeth Warren in April. Boeing, Raytheon, and General Electric respectively hired 85, 64, and 60 former government officials as their high-ranking executives or lobbyists, according to the report. World security risk
The US' continued transfer of weapons to Ukraine favors the Zelensky and Biden governments as well as the US MIC. Nonetheless, the steady flow of numerous deadly weapons and AI-tech equipment and systems into Ukraine, may pose a serious threat to the security and privacy of Ukrainian people in the long term, military experts warned.
At least 38 human rights organizations have publicly opposed the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine, where the weapons have already been used in the conflict with Russia to devastating effect, reported US media.
Cluster bombs are banned by more than 100 countries for the huge security risk they may bring in the long run. "Cluster bombs remain as explosive hazards for decades, and are likely to cause more innocent casualties in the future," Yuan told the Global Times. "Russia and Ukraine may have to face the troubles of the bombs for long."
Moreover, with an increasing number of weapons being sent to Ukraine, people found that many of the weapons have trickled into the local black market, said Yuan.
"That will be bring great uncertainty to the security of Ukraine and even the whole world, as no one can't guarantee that the weapons won't fall into the wrong hands," he noted.
Sadly, with the "geopolitical tension" hype from numerous lobbyists, think tanks, and the media, the US military departments and industry jointly keep pouring oil on the flames of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. And they will continue to increase tensions on the international stage and demonize "rivals" like Russia and China, so as to secure higher military profits, said some international relations observers reached by the Global Times.
The size of the US military and its arsenal are beyond what are needed to keep any country safe and maintain world peace, said Zhang Jiadong, a professor at the Center for American Studies at Fudan University.
The great importance the US attaches to the military industry will unfortunately lead to an even more intense arms race, and destabilize the already fragile relations between the great powers, Zhang said. "That puts world peace and stability at risk," he told the Global Times.
The magnitude 6.8 quake that struck southern parts of Morocco at midnight local time, on September 9 killed more than 2,800 and injured over 2,500 so far. Chinese President Xi Jinping extended condolences to Moroccan King Mohammed VI, at the tragic loss of life and expressed sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured on behalf of the Chinese government and people.
For many Chinese people, Morocco is a faraway but not alien country. There are thousands of Chinese residents living in Morocco, with an increasing number of Chinese tourists visiting the country in recent years.
Several Chinese nationals residing in Morocco reached by the Global Times shared their personal earthquake experiences. Many of them, after the initial shock, volunteered their help to earthquake victims and their families, offering medical aid, financial donations, and the transportation of supplies.
This story is a part of the Global Times' series of "Witness to history," which features first-hand accounts from witnesses who were at the forefront of historic events. From scholars, politicians and diplomats to ordinary citizens, their authentic reflections on the impact of historical moments help reveal a sound future for humanity through the solid steps forward taken in the past and the present. At 1.28 am, obstetrician Zhang Qian finally heard the loud cry of a baby. It was a healthy baby girl.
Zhang breathed a sigh of relief performing after a nerve-racking hour-long C-section on a Moroccan patient. While in surgery at a Moroccan hospital, Zhang felt aftershock tremors from the earthquake that had rocked the North African country just two hours prior. A powerful quake struck Morocco Friday night, with the toll expected to rise as rescuers struggle to reach hard-hit remote areas.
Baby born in earthquake
Zhang and obstetrics nurse Liu Yan, from the Shanghai No.8 People's Hospital, are members of the Chinese medical team in Morocco. The hospitals they serve are in Ben Guerir, a town 70 kilometers away from the western city of Marrakech which was hardest-hit by the earthquake.
Zhang was en route from the hospital to her apartment in Ben Guerir when the earthquake suddenly occurred. "I felt the whole apartment building shake when I entered," she recalled. "I froze for a second before quickly running out."
Then Zhang received a call from the hospital asking her to return to work. She rushed to the hospital, where the square in front of the hospital was filled with anxious doctors and patients. The tremor made the hospital unsafe.
Not long after, an ambulance transporting a hemorrhaging pregnant patient roared up the driveway. Worse still, after conducting a quick medical examination, Zhang found the patient to be hypertensive, presented signs of abruptio placentae. "She was in critical condition and needed a C-section as soon as possible," Zhang said.
Only an hour had passed since the earthquake and having to conduct an hour-long surgery in the hospital building brought with it glaring risks. "But both the expectant mother and her baby would have died without timely intervention," Zhang told the Global Times. "We decided to ignore the risk to help them."
When nurse Liu rushed to the hospital's operating room and saw the distressed expectant mother, she echoed Zhang's sentiments. "She had suffered 200 ml of blood loss probably from the placenta, almost equal to total blood loss from the baby in-utero," said Liu, who has nearly 30 years of working experience.
The emergency C-section started amid aftershocks. Zhang and Liu headed the surgery, supported by four local medical staffers including two nurse anesthetists, an itinerant nurse, and a midwife. It was the only surgery performed at the hospital that night. Fortunately, a 3.9-kilogram baby girl was smoothly born in the end, and her mother was also in stable condition.
Zhang and Liu don't remember how many "Shukran" - the Arabic word for "Thank you" - they've received from their Moroccans counterparts in the days since the earthquake. The new mother and her husband, as well as other patients and staffers at the hospital, all expressed their gratitude and admiration for the caring and dedicated Chinese medical personnel.
Hu said she was later told that there were several waves of dangerous aftershocks while they were in the operating room in the hospital. "But I was far too focused on the surgery to feel any of them or be afraid," she told the Global Times.
"The only thing I was afraid of at that time was an unexpected complication with woman and her baby."
More helping hands from China
The work at the hospital becomes normal now for Zhang and Liu, who both belong to the medical team that China has been assigning to Morocco since 1975, serving local patients at public hospitals across the country. The earthquake won't change their original schedule of them remaining in Morocco, the Global Times learned.
Moreover, China's rescue efforts continue to reach the areas hardest hit by the earthquake, including the Al Haouz region, 50 kilometers south of Marrakech.
The Red Cross Society of China has announced that it will provide the Moroccan Red Crescent with financial emergency humanitarian assistance worth $200,000. The China International Development Cooperation Agency also said that it stands ready to provide emergency humanitarian assistance based on the needs of those most affected by the disaster, according to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"China stands ready to continue to provide help to Morocco in light of its needs, to the best of our capability," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday's press briefing.
At the grassroots level, Chinese nationals residing in Morocco have also actively reached out to help. In a video she shared online, Xiaoshuang (pseudonym), a sea cucumber dealer, stands in front of a lorry fitted with a big container, surrounded by many buckets of drinking water. She says to the camera that she will fill the container with the drinking water and send it to Al Haouz.
"I'm on my way to the disaster area," Xiaoshuang told the Global Times on Monday morning local time.
Chinese vlogger and photographer Jiang Cheng lives in the famous port city of Casablanca in northwestern Morocco. Early in the morning after the earthquake, he boarded a Chinese friend's car and went to Al Haouz. At first Jiang just wanted to shoot some videos and photos there, but he soon felt he needed to step up and help.
"I'm contacting my Chinese friends to collectively transport foodstuffs to the hardest hit areas," Jiang told the Global Times. "My heart broke when witnessing the dire situation there."
Jiang added that as far as he knows, many Chinese communities and individuals in Morocco are discussing the collection and transportation of supplies to earthquake victims and their families.
Chinese enterprises were also seen at the earthquake's hard hit areas. On social media, some users shared photos of a Chinese-invested heavy equipment and manufacturing enterprise sending excavators and loaders to the rescue scenes, the Global Times found.
Fears, tears and relief
For many Chinese nationals residing in Morocco, experiencing the sudden earthquake was full of fears, tears, relief and the desire to help others.
Line (pseudonym), for instance, was on a camping trip in the mountains just tens of kilometers from the earthquake's epicenter. The tremor was very strong, but no tourists were hurt, she said.
"When we drove out of the mountains in the early morning, it was like we were on the run," she told the Global Times. "There were falling rocks everywhere, and some of the road barriers had collapsed. I felt like we might fall off the mountain at any moment."
Tang, another Chinese tourist visiting Morocco, was at a surf club on the beach, about 100 kilometers from the epicenter. At the time, she was engaged in her post-shower beauty routine when she first felt the tremor, which alarmed, and then terrified her.
When the shaking continued, however, she quickly put on her clothes and ran outside. "No one even turned on the lights when we ran downstairs, and some people didn't even have their shoes on," she told the Global Times. "My companion even banged her head on the way down."
All of the surfers made it to the main street, and later to an open space on higher ground. "Even our dog was scared and came to find us," she said. "Everyone slept outside and the club provided blankets and drinking water."
Ma Jun, who has been living in Morocco for years, was hundreds of kilometers from the epicenter, but also felt the tremor so strongly that when the earthquake struck he rushed outside with his shirt inside-out.
"We all ran out and stayed outside immediately," he recalled. "The street was full of locals spending the night outside and in their cars."
Ma told the Global Times that he returned to his room to rest after a long period outside, but slept in his jacket and shoes for fear of aftershocks.
It was the first time that Jiang had experienced earthquake. He recalled that he didn't realize it was an earthquake, until the quake lasted some two minutes. "Then I put on my clothes and rushed downstairs with my valuables. My house's rolling gate heavily clanged due to the shakes."
Jiang praised the Chinese Embassy in Morocco for its quick response. "It published useful information online that night soon after the earthquake happened, such as the contact numbers for help and some rescue resources," he told the Global Times.
As of press time, there have been no reports of Chinese casualties resulting from the earthquake.
Through the past three days, Jiang said he has barely slept in the last three days. Images of collapsed buildings, dead bodies, and distraught people in Al Haouz continue to haunt him.
"I've been living in Morocco since 2016, and it has become my second home," Jiang told the Global Times. "I hope everything will be better soon. And I will continue to contribute to [rescue and reconstruction efforts] together with many other Chinese compatriots here."
China's Generation Z skateboarders have rocked the Asian Games like no one had imagined - bagging three of four gold medals of the discipline. It was not only just about the medals, but also about the energy, vitality and the uniqueness they inject into the Games.
On September 27, the youngest member of the Chinese delegation Cui Chenxi, 13, wrote her name in Chinese sports history after becoming the youngest Asian Games champion for her nation. In the same match, 18-year-old Zeng Wenhui bagged silver in women's street.
In the men's park, 15-year-old Chen Ye finished first. In men's street, China's 16-year-old Zhang Jie snatched a gold while his teammate 19-year-old Su Jianjun won a bronze. In the women's park final, Chinese athlete Li Yujuan, 20, won the silver medal, while Mao Jiasi, 15, won the bronze.
No doubt that skateboarding is a young and up-and-coming sport. Throughout the four days of the skateboarding competition, there was a friendly, young and relaxed atmosphere in the arena. In women's street final, seven of the eight contestants are under 18. Women's street final was even attended by the youngest athlete of the Asian Games at the age of nine. These athletes, however, showed the brilliant athleticism just like their role models, passed down from generation to generation.
No pressure
Speaking with the Global Times, the young medalists displayed a similar fighting spirit and the adherence to excellence just like the veteran athletes, but they also showed something noticeably different - their relaxed mindset toward pressure, their independence growing up as an athlete, and the unwavering support they received from their parents.
After becoming Team China's youngest ever Asian Games champion, Cui told the Global Times that the title did not add any extra pressure.
"I made a mistake in my first run, and on the second attempt, my coach wanted me to be steady, but I was eager to try a riskier maneuver on my own, and in the end, it worked out," Cui said.
The champion is always at ease. In the mix zone after the final, Cui instructed all the media reporters to line up and sought their opinions on where she should stand before patiently and frankly giving answers to all the questions. She said that she never actually expected the gold but she really wanted to win.
"I might be telling some of these stories in Hangzhou to my classmates when I get back," said the middle-school girl. "I think they would be happy for me."
Different from traditional sports, there is no fixed action pattern in skateboarding. It requires skaters to freely use their imagination and creativity, which is challenging and makes the sport popular among fans. Similar to earlier generations, professional skateboards often mention that they started the sport because they found it fun.
"When I started skateboarding, I felt that it was a very exciting and thrilling sport. I felt very happy after completing each move," Chen said, comparing it to the piano and other hobbies that his father, Chen Wanqin, tried to introduce to him, but which he found boring compared with playing with a skateboard.
When asked about his interest over skateboarding, Zhang Jie, who just won men's street, also shrugged grand expressions, but accredited all to "cool and fun." Family support
The Gen-Z athletes also share similar positive family atmosphere. Usually training on their own without a professional team, they hailed the support they received from their family.
After winning the final, Cui put on the Chinese national flag on her back and skated around the venue to a loud cheer. In the audience sat her father, who first introduced Cui to skateboarding and took her training at the age of nine.
For Chen, the training area made by Chen's father became the focus of media attention after his inspirational win. In an interview with the Global Times, Chen expressed his gratitude to his father as the person he most wanted to thank after winning the gold medal.
"I'm grateful to my father for building two bowls for training for me and studying skateboarding skills with me," Chen said. Chen said that he fell in love with skateboarding when he first encountered the sport in a shopping mall at the age of 8.
Once Chen Ye showed his true passion, his father respected him the choice and supported him. In 2019, Chen Ye joined the Guangdong provincial skateboarding team. To help his son's training, Chen Wanqin and his wife rented a warehouse of more than 200 square meters to build a practice bowl for him.
After finishing second in the men's skateboarding park event at the 2021 National Games of China, Chen Wanqin built a new 900-square-meter skateboard park with a max height of nine meters in 2022 in order to improve his son's performance. Chen Ye said that during that time, his father quit his job and even spent all his savings to support his passion.
The Chinese skateboarding team, composed of athletes born after the year of 2000, continues to make breakthroughs, and the future looks promising. Showered by love, support and confidence, they are never afraid to share their ambition to go to the top.
"First I will concentrate on getting there, then I can make a big attack," Cui told the Global Times when asked about Paris 2024.
The Sinopec Primary School of Baingoin is dubbed as "the school closest to the sky."
The school, built by state-owned Sinopec as an aiding project, sits 4,700 meters above sea level in the small, remote county of Baingoin in Nagqu in Southwest China's Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region.
It bestows the most precious gift to children of pastoral region - education.
Despite the harsh and desolate local environment, the school functions as a complete educational complex, boasting a standard playground, nearly 30 modern classrooms, and dormitory buildings featuring glass greenhouse for students. The primary teaching building is constructed in the Tibetan architectural style, resembling a Tibetan palace.
Recently, during a visit to the school, a Global Times reporter saw both girls and boys chasing basketballs around the playground. One class was engaging in traditional Tibetan Guozhuang dance under the guidance of their teacher. As the sun began to set, the fragrance of Tibetan incense wafted through the glass greenhouse and greenery-filled teaching buildings, where in a classroom, some young students learned how to write the Chinese character for "answer."
In 2009, with the support of China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group), the construction of the Baingoin Sinopec Primary School began. It was officially completed and put into use in 2012, greatly motivating the enthusiasm of local pastoral families to send their children to school and contributing to the development of education in Baingoin county.
Initially, the school was designed to accommodate approximately 800 students and operate with a semi-boarding model.
"Because the students come from remote areas and their parents are often occupied with work, ensuring their safety and daily habits is essential," explained Ngawang Wangdu, the principal of Sinopec Primary School, told the Global Times.
However, as the initial capacity could not meet demand, the school successfully applied for a second phase of expansion from both the government and Sinopec headquarters, allowing for the accommodation of more students.
Presently, the school hosts 1,323 students, with 600 of them residing on the school premises.
"Lower-grade students are predominantly day students, while those in grades three to six primarily reside at the school," the principal said. "The school operates throughout the entire year despite summer or winter vacations, leading to students spending an extended time at the school."
A fourth-grade student, Padma Gyaltsen, appears slightly smaller than his peers. Fluently and articulately speaking Putonghua (Standard Chinese), he stated that his class schedule includes English, Chinese, mathematics, Tibetan language, music, information technology and physical education.
"I find the conditions here to be exceptional. The meals in the cafeteria are delicious, and the teachers help you solve any difficulties in life," he shared with the Global Times.
Padma Gyaltsen's family lives on a pastoral ranch, which takes two hours to reach by car from the county. Nowadays, pastoralists also place great importance on their children's education. Therefore, Padma Gyaltsen and his cousin were brought to the county town at an early age to attend kindergarten and primary school.
"Before boarding at the school, I resided in a rented apartment, and was taken care of by my aunt," he said.
After becoming a resident student, Padma Gyaltsen adapted well and achieved outstanding grades. During his free time, he enjoys playing basketball.
"I like Kobe Bryant the most, and when I heard about his passing, I cried for a day," he mentioned.
"I feel like all the boys and girls in my class are my friends, and my classmates are like my brothers and sisters," he added, expressing his desire to become a special police officer, similar to his uncle.
The school receives various forms of support, including national special policies, Xizang special education policies, and assistance from the China Petrochemical Corporation. This support is directed toward enhancing hardware facilities, equipment, and software improvement.
The school places a strong emphasis on student living conditions and safety management, implementing various measures, noted Ngawang Wangdu, the principal. Additionally, its boarding system provides an opportunity for students from economically disadvantaged families. Parents also understand the school's favorable policies and efforts, and there are no dropouts, he said.
After graduation, all students have a 100 percent placement rate in higher education, and outstanding students may have the opportunity to be enrolled into schools in Lhasa or other much more developed regions in China such as Beijing.
The school is dedicated to providing high-quality education while ensuring the safety and well-being of its students, all with the aim of achieving the goal of satisfying the educational needs of the local population, Ngawang Wangdu said.
Guillaume Guibe, a French engineer working for Sinopec in Beijing, visited the school in 2022 and shared his experience with Global Times. He expressed that he had initially envisioned children studying in tents but was pleasantly surprised by the actual conditions. He was even able to converse with a student in English.
"For the Xizang region, the third pole of our planet, miracles of nature stand everywhere, and the people here are also creating miracles," Guibe mentioned in his vlog.
